


What Can Never Be

by Gwendal_Wincott



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Mentioned Virginia Pepper Potts/James Logan Howlett, Minor Gamora/Peter Quill, Not A Fix-It, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Regret, Unrequited Steve/Tony - Freeform, not team Cap friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-05 22:14:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11022654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwendal_Wincott/pseuds/Gwendal_Wincott
Summary: Steve looked at the scene in front of him and realized he was crying. There was nothing he could do except cry.





	What Can Never Be

 

The rogue avengers were back in the compound and the only person Tony had even talked to before was Bucky. He had helped in his treatment. Technically he had treated Bucky single handedly. He’d given B A R F and suggested the neuro blockers to Tchalla when the king had asked for his help. He'd even sent a new arm since Tchalla had said they couldn't get it right.

As far as he was concerned the rogue avengers were not his headache anymore. They were Nicky’s headache. Nick Fury and Hill had come and hugged him the moment he had left the hospital almost two years ago.

 

_“I’ll deal with the little shits Tony. You don’t need to concern yourself with them.”_

 

Maria had actually been crying. Vision, Rhodey and Pepper had been downright pissed at Steve and his mates when they’d seen his state.

 

Needless to say Friday had asked Dum- E to trash that phone and letter. Dum-E had been very happy to comply.

 

 The three had contacted Fury and told him everything. Suffice to say the way Nick Fury’s eyes had widened in anger when he’d seen what had happened had been enough reassurance for the three.

 

Tony had learned everything about Bucky. He’d closed his eyes when he had seen the video of bank vault. Bucky was as much a victim as his parents. His father was a cold man but he didn’t deserve what Hydra did to him. He did care for his father contrary to popular belief.

That’s why it had hurt when he was ignored. He will always feel sad that his parents, his mother was taken from him but he couldn’t find it in his heart to blame Bucky anymore.

When Tchalla asked for his help he agreed. Tchalla had tried to talk about Steve and the others but he’d stopped the man. They weren’t his anything. They were just people in a room. Work mates. Nothing more. Steve had killed whatever it was between them in Siberia.

 His words had been true - So was I. He’d meant what he said. That they were friends. Before. At least to Tony. But now they are nothing.

 

 

What Steve and the others did not expect was that they might not be the only people who were staying there now. It had been almost two years since their nasty departure.

 

Bucky quietly went to the room assigned to him. He was in no mood to talk to any of Steve’s friends. He hated them and was under no obligation to stay in their presence. Just because he loved Steve didn’t mean he had to tolerate his backstabbing friends and that Hydra agent.

When he’d learn about the people who had sided with Steve he had been shocked.

Clint was a spy who had worked for shield. Natasha was a target he had to kill with Steve when project insight was supposed to happen, a spy who also worked for shield. He remembered he had shot her before on a mission.  Scott was ex thief. Sam was ex-military. But Wanda…..she was ex HYDRA…………

 

 

Rocket saw them and started laughing.

“Oh, look the criminals are back.”

“I am Groot.”

Rocket tried to stifle his laugh.

“Yeah, yeah, I know they are even worse than criminals. But I am trying to do right by our friend. The man we consider our family. And unlike these people I know how to respect my family.”

 

Steve, Clint, Natasha, Wanda, Sam and Scott were absolutely flabbergasted. They didn’t know what was more astounding. That a raccoon was talking and making fun of them or he’d just called them criminals.  And who was raccoon’s friend.

 

Clint bristled. “We are not fucking criminals. And who the fuck are you?”

 

Peter looked Clint up and down and snorted. “Sure dude, if that makes you sleep better at night. Though I heard from Thor that a certain Laura Barton had filed for separation when you fucked off to become a criminal.”

 

Clint blanched as he heard that and did not say anything more. No one standing beside him had any retort to that.

 

Steve squashed the feeling of guilt and decided to step up and asked the question which he wanted to say.

 

“Who are you people? Why are you here?”

 

Drax, Nebula, and Mantis were looking at Steve and his team mates as if they were stupid.

 

Gamora and Peter looked at each other then snorted. Rocket was rolling on the floor now. Groot was smiling.

 

Nebula looked extremely bored but answered the question.

 

“Thor said he needed our help in defeating Thanos. That’s why we are here. We are Thor’s acquaintances.”

 

Steve looked a little shocked but didn’t say anything.

 

Before Steve could say anything the door opened and Tony walked in with Rhodey, Happy, Vision and Pepper.

 

Pepper, Rhodey and Vision gave all of them such a cold look that all of them flinched where they stood.

 

Happy did not even look at them. Tony ignored them and went straight to the table and opened the case which had some tools.

 

Bucky suddenly came in the room and when he saw Tony he immediately went to him. His eyes were alive. More than they’d ever been when he was in wakanda. He’d looked downright bored with Steve’s team.

 

Steve flinched as he saw Bucky’s expression.

 

How…. Why was he looking at Tony like that.

 

Tony saw Bucky and smiled kindly at him.

 

“Hey Barnes- Are you okay?”

 

Bucky nodded and everyone could see bright red spots on his cheeks.

 

Before he could answer Tony, Rocket interrupted him.

“I need that arm. I need it. It’s important.”

 

Everyone’s eyes turned to Bucky who’d paled a little and Steve was about to say something nasty but stopped when he saw Tony going and putting an arm around Bucky.

Tony…Tony had never put an arm around him.

 

“Sure Rocket. But not this one. I’ll build another one for you.”

 

Bucky was looking at Tony with wonder in his eyes. Rocket shook his head.

 

“Nope, I need that.”

 

Peter sighed, well used to his friend’s tactics.  “No Rocket you don’t. Stop messing with Bucky Barnes.”

 

Steve flinched as he heard that. Clint, Natasha, Sam, and Wanda’s eyes were about to pop out. Scott had no clue what was going on. That seemed to be his natural state.

 

Groot went and smacked Rocket on the head.

“Ow, what the hell was that for?”

“I am Groot.”

“Huh- I am being stupid and tactless. You are the one who is stupid Groot.”

 

With that Rocket climbed Groot and started whacking him good naturedly.

 

Tony was looking fondly at them. He retracted his arm from Bucky’s shoulders and patted him good naturedly.

 

“He likes to mess with people. Don’t take it to heart.”

“I won’t.”

 

Bucky was looking at Tony lovingly. He had got to know Tony a lot better through his conversations. He had come back first with Okoye for his trial. He liked Tony. He liked him a lot. Too much.

 

 

Tony smiled fondly at him then went to Rocket and gently gathered him in his arms and set him back down.

 

Tony smirked at Rocket. “Do you really need an arm?”

 

Rocket looked at Tony then sighed.

“Man, you never let me win.  Spoilsport.”

 

Peter who had his arm around Gamora’s waist smiled as Rocket gave up. He and Tony had clicked so fast it was not even funny.

 

Tony loved Rocket’s gun and had replicated the stupid thing in three days. Rocket had not been amused at first. Though he couldn’t blame Rocket for liking the man so fast. He liked him a lot too.

Their taste in music was so different but Tony respected his taste. He still remembers how all of his friends and Tony’s friends had fought amicably about which genre of music was best.

They spent a lot of time talking about their mothers. Sometimes Tony mentioned his father with a wry grin. Tony got an absolutely adorable look on his face whenever he mentioned Edwin Jarvis and Ana. He could figure out that the man was more of a father to Tony than Howard.  Howard seemed to have been involved too  much in his work. He hadn't spent time with his son.

He shared his stories of Yondu and his time as one of the ravagers. It still hurt to think about Yondu. Yondu was his dad. He couldn’t have asked for a better father.

His real father……………… That monster was not his anything

 

 Gamora, Drax and he treated him like a sibling.

 

Drax liked to hug Tony which almost always left the man breathless. But he always smiled at them. One time Mantis had touched him unintentionally and she’d cried for hours. Not even Drax and Rocket could stop her.

Tony had politely asked her to not to touch him again. Ever. He’d just smiled sadly at her and patted her head after. She’d looked as if she wanted to cry again.

 

They all knew what had happened to Earth’s mightiest heroes. They’d seen the news reels, asked Friday a lot of questions. They knew the gist because Thor the Norse god had been downright pissed when he’d learn what his dear friend had to go through at the hands of his other friends. Especially at the hands of the Captain.

 

The man called Bruce had smashed a planet’s entire forest. He’d been that angry. The Guardians couldn’t understand what had happened to the man called Tony Stark. All they knew was that he was betrayed by people he considered friends.

 

One day Rhodey and Pepper Potts Howlett had started crying and they’d told them what the so called avengers had done to the man since the beginning.

The android, Vision had looked scary when they’d told them what had happened. Especially when Wanda was mentioned. She’d fucked with Tony Stark’s head and had deliberately used his illness against him.

Virginia’s husband was a force to be reckoned with. Logan had clenched his hands when his wife and friend Rhodes had broken down in front of everyone. Logan had been Tony’s friend for a long time. It was hard for him to forget the state in which he’d come to the tower.

 

Groot and Rocket had destroyed some very expensive furniture when they’d learn.

 

Peter had been downright pissed at Steve and Natasha for hiding his parent’s murder then having the audacity to belittle the man every time.

 

Gamora and Drax had looked ready to murder someone.

 

_“Family, friends……friends don’t leave each other behind. Family don’t backstab you.”_

 

_Rocket had cried when he’d said that. He’d gotten tired of breaking the furniture of the compound. Groot was crying too and Peter and Gamora had to stop them since they weren’t stopping._

 

_Nebula had a hand on Drax. Mantis kept her eyes on the floor. But all of them could see her tears._

_“How could they be so cruel?”_

_Rocket had smirked darkly as he had answered Peter._

_“What were we expecting from the people who thought they could defeat the infinity stone with their measly powers.”_

_Vision had snorted at that. He and Rocket got along extremely well._

 

Peter had cried in Gamora’s arms that night.

_“How can anyone hide something like that? How?”_

 

 

They all knew about Barnes and his torture, none of them blamed the man. But they did blame Steve and his friends. Tony was such a considerate fellow. He always asked after them and made them feel at home.

 

_Rocket had insulted them in front of Rhodey, Vision, Logan and Virginia at one dinner._

 

_“Man, why didn’t Rogers make this Zemo guy also an avenger. That’s what you told us right, that he and some dude called Barton advocated that a criminal like that hag Wanda should become an avenger. This Zemo fellow was screwed over by said hag technically. If she hadn’t messed with Tony’s head, Sokovia would have been fine. She sided with that robot Ultron. Why is he in a prison and she in a fuckin palace? They are same. They both killed innocents. Not to mention blaming only Tony for Ultron is bullshit._

_She fucked with his head in the Hydra base. Thor said the mind gem created Ultron. Bruce Banner and Tony weren't even close. So how come Tony gets the blame for that? His creations are fucking fantastic. If anyone is responsible it's the woman who fucked with his head. She voluntarily sided with the killer robot. She and her twin caused fatalities with that robot. She switched sides when she realised she would be offed as well. She is the reason Sokovia suffered. She is responsible for Zemo's family's deaths. She unleashed the Hulk.  And most of all she isn't even sorry for anything."  
_

_Rocket stopped for a while. " She is responsible for a lot of deaths."_

_Then he started laughing. "Man, Tony you shouldn't have protected her. You shouldv'e thrown the woman to the sharks. She is horrible in every sense of the word."_

 

_For a while no one said anything. Rocket had pretty much summed up everything. Logan was amused. He looked at his wife and smiled._

 

_“Who knows? They think twenty four year old is a kid. Maybe Zemo wasn’t a kid.” Rhodey sighed as he spoke.  
_

 

_Peter was not amused. “Excuse me?” He was looking at Rhodey incredulously._

 

_Virginia snorted. “Yep, Rogers and his gang think that the hag is a kid.” Logan snorted as he heard that.  
_

 

_Peter threw the remote on the sofa and stood up._

 

_“Are you fuckin kidding me? This is bullshit. Man the comics really fucked up.”_

 

_Gamora looked disgusted. Vision was examining the wall but they could all see he was amused._

 

_Tony didn’t say anything just continued to work on new Stark pad. Rocket again started laughing._

 

 

 

Groot liked to pat Tony whenever he was in the compound or the seven of them went to Malibu or Stark tower for weekly dinners. Sometimes Tony could understand Groot which made Rocket like the man even more.

Rhodey, Virginia, her husband James Logan Howlett, Tony’s best friends always joined them with Vision. Sometimes Happy came too.

 

 

Peter and Gamora went and hugged Tony. Tony smiled back at them and Steve flinched again.

 

Tony had never been happy with them. Why was he so happy with these aliens? He looked at Bucky and frowned.

 

His best friend was looking at Tony with an expression he did not want to name.

 

He knew Bucky was gay but why....... why did Bucky have to fall for Tony. He didn’t like this.

 

Toy smiled again at the Guardians then gave Bucky’s metal arm a check.

 

“You are okay Barnes. It’s working flawlessly.”

 

Clint had had enough. He threw up his hands in frustration.

 

“What the fuck is going on? You are talking to Barnes, these weird aliens are your buddies and what are we part of walls? We fucked up. We know it. Stop this.”

 

Tony didn’t even deign to answer Clint. Just closed Bucky’s arm and patted him on the shoulder.

 

Peter answered for Tony.

 

“I’ll answer that Mr. Barton. Maybe because we respect him, treat him as person with actual feelings, who didn’t backstab him, who didn’t leave him to die in a fuckin HYDRA base.”

 

Steve flinched as he heard the blonde man. The others were looking a little uncomfortable.

 

He looked at Steve and his eyes hardened.

 

“I used to read Captain America comics before I was kidnapped.  But man...the comics fucked up royally. You left him to die in fuckin Siberia? Is that what a family member does, a team member does, a friend does after almost murdering him. He couldn’t even fight back. He was on the ground when you struck him with that shield of yours.”

 

Steve flinched and he actually felt like he was having trouble in breathing.

 

Tony looked at Bucky who looked ready to cry. He closed his eyes and got up. He put one hand on Peter’ shoulder and Quill lost all the anger.

 

“Hey, it’s okay.”

 

Peter was about to say something but stopped as he saw the look in Tony’s eyes and reluctantly nodded.

 

Gamora snorted from where she was standing with her sister.

 

“Nothing about this is remotely okay. You weren’t there when your friend Bruce Banner destroyed an entire forest when he and Thor told us about Thanos. I actually think Thor deliberately told us that there because there was no life form there. Just trees. Because boy I have never seen Thor that angry. He actually threw that hammer of his in anger. The whole damn place vibrated. And everyone knows only Hela was capable of destroying the hammer.” 

 

Natasha stiffened as she heard Bruce’s name and Wanda, Clint, Sam and Scott turned pale.

 

Steve closed his eyes and realized he was crying.

 

“I am sorry Tony. I am sorry. I.. I I… am sorry.”

 

Tony looked at Steve for a while.  He shook his head and went away.

 

 Steve looked at Bucky. Bucky had his eyes closed.

 

Tony came back and Steve felt his blood turn to ice. That was his shield. Tony’s father’s shield.

 

Tony came in front of Steve and smiled sadly.

 

“Take it. I can’t even look at it without having nightmares. I don’t ever want to look at it. I …………I…………. Steve you were wrong.”

 

When Steve looked at Tony he felt it would’ve been better if he had never come out from the ice. There was nothing but pain and sadness in his eyes. Nothing.

 

 

“We were never a family. Avengers especially are not my anything. They are yours. They are your family. I lost my family when I was seventeen. When I was fifteen the man who loved me like a father died with his wife Ana. Now only Rhodey, Virginia, Logan and Happy are my family. We are not even friends. I don’t think we ever were. I was stupid to think we were. We are just workmates.”

 

Steve made no move to take the shield from Tony. The only thing he was aware of was that tears were pouring down his cheeks.

 

Tony gently placed the shield on the table. He looked at Steve and sighed.

 

“Look at them Steve. Look at them.”

 

Steve didn’t know what Tony was talking about, when he looked up he saw Tony pointing at the new people in the compound. The blonde man, the green woman, the raccoon, the talking tree, the bulky tattooed man and two more women.

 

“They are a family. We weren’t. Ever.”

 

 

With that Tony left the room. Virginia ran from the room with tears in her eyes. Happy and Rhodey looked at Steve and his team mates for a while then they too went away.

 

Vision simply vanished. He needed to be with Mr. Stark. He wanted to cry. But he couldn’t.

 

 

Rocket was about to cry and Groot looked extremely sad. Peter closed his eyes. Drax, Nebula, Mantis and Gamora were horrified.

 

Peter shook his head and looked at his friends and family. “No, he is our family. He is our friend. We gotta get that inside his head that we are nothing like these people.”

With that the Guardians also left the compound.

 

 

There was a loud crashing sound. Steve flinched as he looked at Bucky. His face was blank.

 

Clint, Wanda, Natasha, Sam and Scott looked at the place from where sound came and paled.

 

Bucky had broken the glass table.

 

He gave all of them minus Steve a cold look and went back to his room.

 

 

Steve fell down and cried for hours.

 

 

 

 

Weeks later Tony again came to the compound. He talked to the Guardians and joked with them.

 

 

He was laughing at something Bucky had said.

 

 

Steve felt tears gather in his eyes as he saw that.

 

 

 

“Why...why did I do it?”

 

 

He didn’t even realise Banner and Thor were standing behind him.

 

 

“You tell us Steve.”

 

 

Steve turned and saw Thor and Bruce looking at him with an indescribable emotion.

 

 

“I wanted to beat you Steve. When I realized you did something so atrocious to Tony. I wanted to beat all of you.”

 

Steve just listened to Bruce but did not say anything. Thor looked at Steve and sighed.

 

“I am disappointed in you Steve. That’s not something you hide. You and Romanoff had no right to hide it. No right. It was not your secret to keep.  But I I ……….. I expected better from you. I don’t expect anything from the witch who messed with his head or the two spies. What do you think was gonna happen in that situation? You don’t get over your parents death. Your siblings, your family’s death. You don’t.”

 

 

Steve looked at them and closed his eyes.

 

Bruce smiled sadly.

 

 “It wasn’t worth it Steve...look Barnes is okay. That’s what Tony does. He helps people. He tried to help Barnes too. But you threw it at his face for that bitch who messed with my head. I will never forgive her Steve. I hope she will die in the fight against Thanos.”

 

 

Steve closed his eyes as tears slid down his cheeks.

 

“I am sorry Bruce. I I am sorry.”

 

Thor smiled sadly. There were tears in his eyes.

 

“No. We are sorry Captain.”

 

 

Steve couldn’t understand what Thor meant or why his eyes were full of unshed tears. Steve looked back and he felt as he was back in the ice.

 

 

Bucky had his hands around Tony’s neck. He was kissing his cheek, his nose. Tony Tony ….looked happy. Bucky looked very happy.

 

 

Steve fell down again and closed his eyes. He didn't even realise he was again crying. He could not begrudge Bucky happiness.  Even if that happiness was with the person Steve himself loved. Even if it seeing them together made Steve feel as if he was back in ice. He could not begrudge Tony happiness. 

 

 

He killed whatever it was between him and Tony in that bunker. He killed it with his own hands.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Minor pairings : Peter Quill / Gamora . Logan/Pepper . 
> 
> In this fiction Tony and Pepper were never a thing. Tony had been alone since the time he became Iron man. They are just good friends. Best of friends.
> 
> Virginia married James Logan Howlett. No, he is not a mutant. He is a business man, Tony’s friend. When Virginia became CEO of Stark industries she met Logan and they fell in love.
> 
> I am going to take Iron Man I as canon. Tony was seventeen when his parents died. So that would make his age during infinity wars 43/44.


End file.
